The deafening silence of Pakatan's lawmakers

Chan Kok Leong Chan Kok Leong Updated 7 years ago · Published on 23 Oct 2018 6:08PM · 14 Comments

Najib Razak spoke uninterrupted at the Dewan Rakyat today as he defended the donation and the way his adminstration handled the 1MDB affair. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, October 23, 2018.

NAJIB Razak seldom spoke up in Parliament, even back when Barisan Nasional was in power and he was prime minister.

So, it came as a huge surprise when the Pekan MP stood up today and spoke about 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and its troubles, and the RM2.6 billion “donation” that went into his personal accounts.

Najib never once addressed the donation when Dr Mahathir Mohamad criss-crossed the country calling him a thief to the thousands who turned up at his ceramah.

He never answered the Wall Street Journal when the business paper alleged that the contentious RM2.6 billion donation had originated from 1MDB, nor did he respond when the United States’ Department of Justice (DoJ) reported that US$4.5 billion had gone to “Malaysian Official No. 1”.

But today, he spoke about how he thought it was odd to be charged after returning a huge chunk of the donation and how he planned to recover 1MDB’s money after winning the election.

During his time in power, he delegated the job to other BN leaders, press officers and a speaker who refused to allow the issue to be discussed in Parliament.

The irony, however, is that after all the trouble Pakatan Harapan had gone through to challenge the speaker, facing defamation suits and arrests in the process, today, its lawmakers failed to stand up to and challenge Najib.

Not one Pakatan lawmaker took advantage of the new freedoms in Parliament to ask the very questions their constituents would have expected of them: who did he return the donation to and where is the proof? Why did the DoJ say 1MDB money was embezzled? What’s his connection to wanted Penang businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low? Who is MO1?

Even as Dr Mahathir Mohamad criss-crossed the country calling him a thief, Najib Razak never once addressed his claims about the donation. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, October 23, 2018.

Or did the Pakatan lawmakers think that everything would eventually come out when Najib answers for the 32 charges levelled against him in court?

The fact is, Najib had it easy in Parliament today. He was not interrupted as he went on to defend the donation he had received and the way his adminstration had handled the 1MDB affair.

Save for a lone PAS MP from Pendang, who asked a pointless question about Kelantan’s financial abilities, Najib had the Dewan Rakyat all to himself for more than 30 minutes.

Malaysians watching the Parliament proceedings live on television at home were sure to have cringed. 

They must have wondered what had brought about this defeaning silence from their previously gung-ho, loud-mouthed representatives, who had never stopped talking about the 1MDB scandal and donation in the run-up to GE14.

Talk about a missed opportunity indeed! – October 23, 2018.

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Comments

  • The Pakatan MPs are smart not to jeopardize and prejudice the outcome of MACC's investigation. The silence is definitely a golden one.

    Posted 7 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • BY CONTINUING TO TALK HE IS CLEARING HIS OWN THOUGHTS & REINFORCING HIMSELF? IT IS A BIG AFFAIR WITH MANY CONFUSED OVER IT..

    Posted 7 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

    • Could MO1 TURN OUT TO BE MORE THAN ONE PERSON?..

      Posted 7 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

    • A FOOL MAY ASK MORE QUESTIONS THAN A WISE MAN CAN ANSWER?..

      Posted 7 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • Very soon he will be acting in the court. Until then why bother to ask.

    Posted 7 years ago by Jacob Hong · Reply

  • Good strategy to keep quiet. Let the thief dig his own grave.

    Posted 7 years ago by Arul Inthirarajah · Reply

  • TRUTH will come out of the THIEF MOUTH Effortlessly

    Posted 7 years ago by Tharan Singh · Reply

  • Already charged multiple times and multiple cases awaiting trial. Why would the government benches want to give this man the opportunity to reply as he wishes? In parliament you can speak as you wish without legal consequences. Not so in court. Chan Kok Leong, you are on the wrong track on this...

    Posted 7 years ago by KP Goh · Reply

  • This Thief is trying to turn the table no one gives a dam do your act in court najis najib.

    Posted 7 years ago by Danial Abdullah · Reply

  • The PH ministers lack experience. Yes, they should have taken advantage and thrown questions at Najib..

    Posted 7 years ago by TTs Take · Reply

    • damn right..we dont need unexperience minister to run the country...cheaters

      Posted 7 years ago by Mohiyuddin mikin · Reply

  • He can lie in parliament...so no point asking questions. So no opportunity lost, chan.

    Posted 7 years ago by Lipdah Lia · Reply

    • That is is an inaccurate statement.. no he cant lie in parliament . MP are not allowed to lie in parliament or to mislead parliament.

      Posted 7 years ago by Vicknaraj Thanarajah · Reply

  • I think perhaps its less dead silence than silence for the dead. Though still a missed opportunity.

    Posted 7 years ago by Yad Emir · Reply